Journals of the Continental Congress June 7, 1785

Resolved, That it be, and it is hereby recommended to the several States, to make provision for Officers, soldiers or seamen, who have been disabled in the service of the United States, in the following manner:

1. A compleat [sic] list shall be made out by such person or persons as each state shall direct, of all the officers, soldiers or seamen resident in their respective states, who have served in the army or navy of the United States, or in the militia in the service of the United States, and have been disabled in such service, so as to be incapable of military duty, or of obtaining a livelihood by labour. In this list shall be expressed the pay, age, and disability of each invalid, also the regiment, corps or ship to which he belonged, and a copy of the same shall be transmitted to the office of the Secretary at War, within one year after each state shall pass a law for this purpose; and a like descriptive list of the invalids resident in the respective states, shall, from year to year, be annually transmitted to the Office of the Secretary at War.

2. No officer, soldier or seamen, shall be considered as an invalid, or entitled to pay, unless he can produce a certificate from the commanding officer or surgeon of the regiment, ship, corps or company in which he served, or from a physician or surgeon of a military hospital, or other good and sufficient testimony, setting forth his disability, and that he was thus disabled while in the service of the United States.

3. That all commissioned officers within the aforesaid description, disabled in the service of the United States, so as to be wholly incapable of military duty, or of obtaining a livelihood, be allowed a yearly pension equal to half of their pay respectively; and all commissioned officers as aforesaid, who shall not have been disabled in so great a degree, be allowed a yearly pension, which shall correspond with the degree of their disability, compared with that of an Officer wholly disabled. That all non-commissioned officers and privates within the aforesaid description, disabled in the service of the United States, so as to be wholly incapable of military or garrison duty, or of obtaining a livelihood by labour, be allowed a sum not exceeding five dollars per month: and all non-commissioned officers and privates as aforesaid, who shall not have been disabled in so great a degree, be allowed such a sum as shall correspond with the degree of their disability, compared with that of a non-commissioned officer or private wholly disabled.

4. That each state appoint one or more persons of suitable abilities, to examine all claimants, and to report whether the person producing a certificate, setting forth that he is an invalid, be such in fact, and if such, to what pay he is entitled; and thereupon, the persons appointed to make such enquiry, shall give to the invalid a certificate specifying to what pay he is entitled, and transmit a copy to the person who may be appointed by the State to receive and record the same.

5. That each State be authorized to pay to the commissioned officers, non-commissioned Officers and privates, the sum or sums to which they shall be respectively entitled, agreeably to the before mentioned certificates; the said payments to be deducted from the respective quotas of the states for the year on which they shall be made. Provided that no officer who has accepted his commutation for half pay, shall be entered on the list of invalids, unless he shall have first returned his commutation.

6. That any state may form such invalids under the aforesaid description, as are citizens of the same, and are capable of garrison duty, into corps, to be employed in guarding military stores, aiding the police, or otherwise, as the state may direct.

7. That when invalids shall be formed into corps, there be quarterly returns, comprehending the pay, age, disability, regiment, ship or corps to which they severally belonged, made out and signed by their commanding officer, and transmitted to such person or persons as the State shall direct, that their pay may be ordered according to the said return.

8. That all invalids, as well those formed into corps, as those who are not, shall annually apply themselves to a magistrate of the county in which they reside or may be stationed, and take the following oath, viz. A. B. came before me, one of the justices of the county of _____ in the state of _____ and made Oath, that he was examined by _____ appointed by the said state (or Commonwealth) for that purpose, obtained a certificate, (or had his certificate examined and countersigned) setting forth that he had served in _____ that he was disabled by _____ and that he now lives in the _____ and in the county of _____

9. That the affidavits, drawn according to the above form, and date, and attested by a magistrate, be sent by the said magistrate to the person or persons appointed by the state, to receive and record the same, and that a counterpart of the affidavit be preserved by the person taking it, to be exhibited to such persons as shall be appointed by the state to pay the Invalids.

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